1-1 By: Truan S.B. No. 210 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 21, 1999; January 28, 1999, 1-3 read first time and referred to Special Committee on Border 1-4 Affairs; March 15, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 5, Nays 0; March 15, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to directing certain higher education research programs to 1-9 address environmental issues affecting the Texas-Mexico border 1-10 region. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Section 142.002, Education Code, is amended to 1-13 read as follows: 1-14 Sec. 142.002. PURPOSE. The advanced research program is 1-15 established to encourage and provide support for basic research 1-16 conducted by faculty members in astronomy, atmospheric science, 1-17 biological and behavioral sciences, chemistry, computer sciences, 1-18 earth sciences, engineering, information science, mathematics, 1-19 material sciences, oceanography, physics, environmental issues 1-20 affecting the Texas-Mexico border region, the reduction of 1-21 industrial, agricultural, and domestic water use, social sciences, 1-22 and related disciplines in eligible institutions. 1-23 SECTION 2. Section 143.003, Education Code, is amended to 1-24 read as follows: 1-25 Sec. 143.003. PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS. The technology 1-26 program may provide support for faculty members to conduct research 1-27 in areas determined by an advisory panel appointed by the 1-28 coordinating board. Initial research areas shall include: 1-29 agriculture, biotechnology, biomedicine, energy, environment, 1-30 materials science, microelectronics, aerospace, marine science, 1-31 aquaculture, telecommunications, manufacturing science, 1-32 environmental issues affecting the Texas-Mexico border region, the 1-33 reduction of industrial, agricultural, and domestic water use, 1-34 recycling, and related disciplines. The advisory panel may add or 1-35 delete priority research areas as the panel considers warranted. 1-36 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-37 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-38 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-39 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-40 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-41 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-42 passage, and it is so enacted. 1-43 * * * * *